A PRISONER was treated for smoke inhalation yesterday after a blaze in his cell. The 27-year-old inmate is thought to have barricaded himself into his cell before starting the fire at Chelmsford Prison.

A PRISONER was treated for smoke inhalation yesterday after a blaze in his cell.

The 27-year-old inmate is thought to have barricaded himself into his cell before starting the fire at Chelmsford Prison.

Firefighters were called just after 4pm to a wing of the building which has 116 cells although the blaze was out when they arrived.

Prison officers had extinguished the flames and an on-site doctor then treated the man for smoke inhalation.

Two fire crews from Chelmsford, one from Great Baddow, and an aerial platform ladder were sent along with Essex Ambulance Service.

The wing was left smoked-logged but all the other prisoners were o.k. and a spokesman for Essex Fire Service said they had used procedures designed for call-outs to the prison.

A spokesman for the Home Office said: “We believe it was started deliberately - it was a small fire and was put out before the fire brigade arrived.

“The person was freed from the cell and was not injured and no other prisoners or staff were hurt.

“It is not uncommon for these kind of incidents to happen.”